"When I last wrote, I compared 3 versions of this beloved opera: the Schwarzkopf version, Te Kanawa version, and this one. Just released is Sutherland's version, with her singing the role of Rosalinde. It's safe to say without hearing the recording that Sutherland was never really great with German (it requires impeccable diction, and everyone who knows of Dame Joan and dislikes her for her diction would be wise to stay away from this recording... Sorry for putting you down Sutherland, but I had to admit to your faults), and her voice is really not suited for Strauss repertoire, nor for the Viennese acting required. The site doesn't tell who the other performers are, but with so many other versions out there (if you go into the german version of Amazon, you'll find loads of Die Fledermaus's, though the singers tend not to be well known) who needs to settle on one set since it just has Dame Joan?As a further amendment, I didn't talk enough about how great Varady is in the aforementioned role of Rosalinde. She introduced me to another beautiful voice! Hers is very womanly sounding, and quite pure, but has just enough weight to carry off the role to perfection. I can assure you that Sutherland would not come close to this "Klange der Heimat." And to touch some more on Iwan Rebroff, his voice sort of does take getting used to, especially when you're used to a mezzo singing it. I have to say though, it's still sung well, and is quite silly.Thanks for letting me put in a few more words!"
No, there is no better Fledermaus around
Gerardo Cabrera Munoz | México | 10/15/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Carlos Kleiber can be a very difficult man on the podium, but here he is in high spirits and conducts a masterful performance. It's both fiery and fun, but never hard driven. He is lucky to have 2 glorious sopranos in Julia Varady and Lucia Popp who are peerless as Rosalinde and Adele. Varady in particular gives a ravishing performance with commanding vocal security, no other soprano even comes close, not Schwarzkopf, not Gueden and certainly not Te Kanawa. I guess Iwan Rebroff is an acquired taste, personally, I think he is fun and does a very good job. The Munich orchestra is excellent and so is the sound. The Karajan/Decca set with the famous gala is pleasing too, but after listening to this set for 20 years, it is my favourite."
Fledermaus Flies!
Thomas B Dawkins | 03/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All too often, Die Fledermaus is trivialized like many operettas and is therefore performed with less vocal mastery and devotion than it deserves. This recording is the precise opposite of that statement. From the first bars of the overture to the rousing finale, this Fledermaus sparkles brightly. Lucia Popp is the most amazing Adele that one could hope for, executing her aria about being on the stage with a dazzling coloratura. It is unusual to have a baritone cast as von Eisenstein, however, if anyone can pull it off, Hermann Prey is the man for the job. He gives a jovial air of Vienna to the entire work which is truly charming. Ivan Rebroff's Prinz Orlovsky is thoroughly silly, as is appropriate, and much more satisfying that having it played as a pants role. The chorus numbers are boisterous, and the dances (including a knockout "Donner und Blitz" polka) will make you get up from even your most comfortable armchair."
A top notch Fledermaus from Kleiber's golden years as a cond
Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 10/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Recorded in 1975, this recording of Johann Strauss's most famous comic opera, "Die Fledermaus", is top notch, from Carlos Kleiber's golden years as a conductor. Carlos Kleiber (1930-2004) made few studio recordings, so this is very important. But he did have favorite works he recorded in the studio: this "Die Fledermaus", Weber's "Die Freischutz" (1973), Verdi's "La Traviata" (1976), and Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde" (1981), all for Deutsche Grammophon. Kleiber has a superb cast, with Hermann Prey, Julia Varady, and Bernd Weikl in the leading roles. Kleiber favors fast tempos, keeping the flow and motion of the opera moving along, but he knows where to take time when there is a tempo change or for a slower tempo aria.
The sound is very clear, but the bass sounds a little weak, often typical with DG recordings, so a loudness boost may be necessary on some systems. There is spoken dialogue aplenty between numbers, but it is never too much, nor does the overall architecture of the opera sag under it's own weight, often a danger in singspiel operas, where there is alot of spoken dialogue.
I also reviewed Kleiber's DVD "Fledermaus", from 1987 (DG DVD) and this recording has much in common with the later live production with the same orchestra: Bavarian State Opera, but mostly different soloists. I personally prefer Hermann Prey as Eisenstein to Eberhard Waechter; Prey's voice seems more mellow, and he sounds more musical to me than Waechter. However, a direct comparison is hard because this is a STUDIO recording, and the DVD is LIVE.
Whichever Kleiber "Fledermaus" you purchase, you can't go wrong. It all boils down to personal preferences, and if you want an audio (this recording) or DVD format for Strauss's great comic opera."